The Kitchen Community, 501c3 1980 8th Street, Boulder, CO. 80302
Our Story The Kitchen Community, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, was founded in 2011 as the philanthropic arm of The Kitchen family of restaurants to create community through food by planting Learning Gardens in schools and community organizations across America. Learning Gardens are hands-on outdoor classrooms and experiential play-spaces with vegetables that help reverse trends in childhood obesity, improve academic performance, and strengthen community. In 2012, The Kitchen Community connected approximately 30,000 children to nutritious food by creating 50 Learning Gardens in schools across the U.S. In 2013, an additional 110 schools were granted Learning Gardens to bring the total children impacted to 100,000 and growing. An outdoor classroom and experiential playspace enables children to learn the value of growing their own food, discovering where it comes from and how it should taste. Science, Technology, Education, Arts, and Mathematics are interwoven into our education program to provide teachers with a head start to using the Learning Garden. It is our hope to reverse trends in childhood obesity, while simulatneously enriching each student s educational experience.
Rotational Molding The Kitchen Community worked closely with award winning artist and designer, Jen Lewin Studios, to create the Learning Garden concept. The very first raised bed system was fabricated using sheet steel powdercoated in a pearlescent white finish. Due to their large size and nation-wide distribution needs, we looked to the rotational molding industry for help in creating a light-weight, durable product. Our designers quickly went to work to identify three main shapes that we could use for production. The challenge was creating a product that could withstand the same use playground equipment endures, while simultaneously creating a beautiful, attractive container for food production. Stemming from segments of the golden ratio, we finalized three curvilinear mold patterns for production and distribution in early 2012. Today, The Kitchen Community has distributed over 2,500 Garden Beds nationally among 166 schools and community centers. It s our hope to have programming in every U.S. school district by 2025. The U.S. Department of Education s most recent count of U.S. primary schools totaled 132,183. Using this number as a driver for market size, we ve barely captured 1/10 of one percent of the market. thekitchencommunity.org 2
Garden Bed Specifications Our modular planters are designed to fit into a variety of spaces. Connect planters together in minutes to form experiential outdoor learning environments. Made from food grade, FDA approved, polyethylene plastic, enhanced with UV stabilizers for added sun protection. Learning Garden planters are designed to be a sustainable, long-term investment. This product is available exclusively from The Kitchen Community. Made in the USA. Features: Available in white Easy assembly Light weight Connect multiple planters together 5 Year Warranty Bed A Raised Planter 2'-6" 4' - 7 11/16" 3'-4" 1'-7" 3'-4" 10" dimension square footage Volume weight color 40 L x 40 W x 19 H 8.13 sq ft 10.25 cu.ft 35lbs white Bed B Raised Planter 1'-7" 2'-6" 7' - 7 1/8" 5' - 1/2" 5' - 1/2" dimension square footage cubic feet soil weight color 65 L x 65 W x 19 H 16.27 sq ft 21.125 cu ft 76lbs white Bed C Raised Planter 2'-6" 6' - 8" 4' - 3 2/3" 1'-7" 4' - 3 2/3" dimension square footage cubic feet soil weight color 52 L x 52 W x 19 H 14.25 sq ft 18.25 cu ft 70lbs white
Garden Bed Details 2014 Enhancements The 2014 edition of our raised planters feature an enhanced drainage basin to improve root zone aeration and encourage an aerobic growing environment. In addition, each planter now has dualbranded ends with carrying handles and irrigation inlet markers. This year, we anticipate distribution of over 1,200 containers among 100 locations. 1 2 1 - Upper Mold Stacking Feature: Structural support for mold stacking. 2 - Curvilinear Walls: Provide structural support to resist internal soil loads. 4 5 3 6 3 - Drainage Basin: Promotes root zone aeration and proper drainage of salts. 4 - In-Mold Logo: Brand Identification 5 - Irrigation Inlet: Customizable per individual site requirements. 6 - Carrying Handle: Structural ribbing to resist internal soil loads. thekitchencommunity.org 4
Design Process Design Criteria Experiential playspace, no fences, outdoors year round, safe for kids, food production container. The Golden Ratio Using the golden ratio as a starting point, we divided a section of the curve into three distinct forms that eventually became the containers. Feasibility Study Too large to manufacture + ship efficiently Smaller, single membrane containers are easier to manufacture, transport and install. Freight FTL Shipping Diagram Stacks (5 high): 6A, 7B, 7C Beds: 30A, 35B, 35C Total Beds: 100 Total Weight: 6,830lbs. Sq. Footage: 426.7 sq. ft. 52' x 98" (W)Truck Bed Materials Demands: UV resistant, durable in hot and cold temperatures, food safe. LLDPE Details: Polyethylene copolymer FDA Food Grade UV8 Package Arctic White Colorant Melt - 6.74g/10min. 0.9352 g/cc 31.6 dryflow Nest for Shipping Experiential Playspace + Learning Gardens have the same demands as a playground, so we focused our attention on materials that playground manufacturers use.